California architect Frank Gehry, whose credits include the Guggenheim Museum in Spain and the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, will compete against local firms to design the new Sprint Center arena in Kansas City. The project received a green light last month when voters approved tax increases on hotel rooms and car rentals intended to provide about half of the arena's projected $250 million cost.
The city issued a request for proposals on Aug. 13. They are due Sept. 3.
The local team is a coalition of newly-formed 360 Architecture, Rafael Architects, and crosstown rivals Ellerbe Becket and Hellmuth Obata & Kassabaum. Ellerbe and HOK, which have designed 25 of the last 28 NBA and NHL arenas, have joined forces for the first time. The Kansas City team has created a website, www.yourkcarena.com, to receive comments about desired building features.
Members of Gehry's team include Crawford Architects, with offices in Kansas City and Sydney, Australia, and A. Zahner Co., and Black & Veatch, both of Kansas City.
